Who exactly is Miami Dolphins QB Matt Moore?

In today’s newspaper, we attempted to answer one simple question: Who is Matt Moore?

Dolphins fans know him as the guy that helped their team avoid total disaster with a 5-2 stretch following the 0-7 start.

Get to know this face, Dolphins fans -- Matt Moore has earned himself a place in the team's plans for 2012 / Allen Eyestone, Post staff

He’s also having the second-best season by a Dolphins quarterback since Dan Marino retired – Moore’s 12 touchdowns, six interceptions and 88.7 passer rating put him in second place behind only Chad Pennington.

But where did Moore come from? Who is this guy off the field? How is he fitting in with the Dolphins? With the way Moore has played this year, and with the rookie quarterback class shrinking with yesterday’s announcement by Matt Barkley, Dolphins fans should get to know Moore, because he’s going to factor very much into the team’s plans next year and possibly beyond.

We answered some of those questions in today’s article, but space limitations forced us to keep a lot of stuff on the cutting-room floor.

So who is Matt Moore? He is …

* From a football factory in Southern California. Hart High, in Valencia, is known as “Quarterback U” to the locals. Coach Mike Herrington once sent six straight quarterbacks to Division I schools, including Moore, who signed with UCLA out of high school, and Kyle Boller, now a backup with the Raiders who was a senior when Moore was a freshman. Hart was so stacked at quarterback that Moore was forced to play free safety his junior year, and set a school record (that still stands) with 10 interceptions. When he took over at QB his senior year, Hart went 13-0 with a CIF title.

* A pretty good athlete. UCLA offered him a college scholarship on the spot after watching him play his first game of the season at quarterback his senior year. The Anaheim Angels drafted Moore in 2004 despite not having played organized baseball in four years. “He could’ve been a three-year starter on the basketball team, too,” Herrington said. And apparently Moore is a pretty nasty ping-pong player.

* One of the best QBs in Oregon State history. He transferred there in 2005 after losing his QB job at UCLA, and turned in two solid seasons for the Beavers, throwing for 5,733 yards (fifth in school history) with 29 touchdowns. In 2006, his senior season, he led the Beavers to a 10-3 record, including a win over No. 3 USC and a memorable 39-38 comeback win over Missouri in the Sun Bowl, in which Moore threw for 356 yards and four touchdowns and overcame a 38-24 deficit in the fourth quarter. “He was a little bit of an unknown when he came in, probably similar to what’s going on down there,” said his former offensive coordinator, Danny Langsdorf. “But he just kept making plays.”

Part of the Dolphins' success can be attributed to the budding relationship between Moore and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll / Allen Eyestone, Post staff

* Building a great relationship with Karl Dorrell. Believe it or not, Moore and the Dolphins’ quarterbacks coach go way back. Dorrell took over as UCLA’s head coach in 2003 when Bob Toledo was fired, and Dorrell eventually chose Drew Olson over Moore at quarterback. Moore wasn’t happy with the decision and ultimately left UCLA, but never said or did anything to sour his relationship with Dorrell. Eight years later they have reunited in Miami, and the two have developed a nice bond. “Matt cannot say enough kind things about the person Karl Dorrell has been, how much respect he has for his football knowledge,” said Moore’s agent, Joe Aloisi. “There’s a lot of people who thought maybe Karl had something to do with driving Matt out of town, and Karl has become one of Matt’s biggest supporters.”

* Building a great relationship with Brian Daboll, too. Moore and “Dabes,” as he is known around the office, are really clicking as coordinator and quarterback. Over his last seven games, Moore has 11 touchdown passes, two interceptions and a 104.6 passer rating, fifth-best in the league over that time. “I have a lot of confidence in him, a lot of respect for the way he goes about his business,” Daboll said. “I’m really appreciative of the opportunity with the guy because of the way he goes about his business and prepares. He’s a true professional.” Moore, Daboll and Dorrell can often be found watching film and talking shop long after most of the Dolphins players have gone home for the night. “There’s no question that the harder he’s worked, he’s become a better player,” Dorrell said.

* Trying to emulate Peyton Manning. Obviously, he can’t mimic his skillset, but he appreciates Manning’s demeanor on the field. “When Peyton throws a touchdown, it’s congratulations, no big deal,” Moore said. “Same thing when he throws a pick – no big deal. So that’s how I try to approach the game.”

Moore has been a positive spark for the Dolphins since taking over at QB / Allen Eyestone, Post staff

* Low key and humble. He spends most of his free time with his wife, Tara, and their 9-month-old daughter, Aubrey. On his college bio, he listed his hobbies as video games and ping pong. “He loves Burger King,” said Langsdorf, his college coach. “Sometimes he talks loud because he’s got (Brian) Daboll barking in his ear,” Brian Hartline joked. “But he keeps the rest of the guys calm and collected, and in order to do that you’ve got to be a pretty cool guy.” Moore has taken rookie Pat Devlin under his wing, teaching him about defenses and inviting him over for dinners. Aloisi, Moore’s agent, deflects credit away from Moore for the Dolphins’ solid play over the second half of the season. “This turnaround does not come from the fact that one guy has come in,” he said. “They’re winning as a team, and Matt happens to be part of that success.”

* Loyal to the people who have been with him on his journey. He married his high school sweetheart. His agent is the father of his best friend from junior high. His permanent home is back in his hometown. He is a frequent visitor at his old high school football offices, and travels back to Oregon State two or three times a year. “He’s a genuine person with zero ego,” Aloisi said.

* Not worried about the Dolphins potentially drafting a QB. “I went through the same situation last year,” Moore said. He entered 2010 as the Panthers’ starter, lost his job due to injury and then was cut after the team drafted Cam Newton. “That’s how the NFL works – there’s always going to be guys coming up,” he said. “It’s not like I can say, ‘No.’ All I can do is play my best, and I’ll do whatever I can in the situation I’m in. Whatever happens, happens. You just have to make the best of it when you get your shot.”

* Hoping to find stability in Miami. He’s under contract next year for $2.5 million and doesn’t like thinking past this season, but after bouncing around for much of the last eight years, Moore hopes to make a home with the Dolphins. “He’s really enjoying the camaraderie, made some great friends on the team,” Aloisi said. “The goal is to continue to win, hopefully get a long-term deal from the Dolphins if that’s in the stars, then try to settle in for a long-term relationship with the team, city and community. That’s the ultimate dream, right?”